#watchperson

[imightbeabuddhist]

Added to my watch collection with a god-tier Casio MW600F-9AV.

-The Convivial Copywriter.

[ihearthes]

Winner

Author: @ihearthes

Pairing: Harry x Reader Insert (2nd person)

Rating: Smut (NSFW, 18+ Only)

Word Count: 2627

“Okay, so Mum will be the guard, right?” Gemma nudges you, nodding towards Anne. “You and I will go after the boys’ flag.” 

“Why do I have to be the guard?” Anne pouts. 

“Duh,” Gemma laughs, “Harry and Michal wouldn’t dare hurt you, and Darren can be bribed.” 

“True,” you concur, ready to get on with the game. “I vote we hide our flag in the painted mailbox.” 

“Oh, good plan!” Anne claps her hands excitedly. While the boys wait inside with Gemma as a watchperson, you and Anne place the green flag in one of Anne’s art creations – an old mailbox she’s painted in multiple bright colours and set out for the birds to build nests in spring. 

As the boys, their flag already hidden, swoop from the house, Harry grabs you around the waist, pressing a light-hearted kiss to your nose. “You’re going down, darling!” 

“Not a chance!” You laugh, pushing him away. Moving to neutral ground, the teams square up. Anne, considered the most fair, blows a whistle to start the game, and everyone moves in seemingly random directions. Catching a glimpse of the purple flag under one of Anne’s sculptures, you race towards that side of the garden, but in a zigzag pattern so Michal and Darren might not know where you’re going. Harry is clearly hanging back as the guard. Behind you, you can hear Anne and Gemma trying to keep their respective boyfriends from the flag, using whatever means necessary. 

You know that’s the case for you too. Winning this competition is everything, so as you approach and get close to the flag, you get blocked by Harry who moves side to side, waving you away from the hiding place. 

“Love! It’s not this way. It’s over there,” Harry calls to you while pointing in a different section of the garden. “Look near the gnome.”

But you are well aware of his falsehood, knowing exactly where the flag is, but he continues to block you. 

“Come on, H. I’m just trying to take a little stroll over by Dotty.” You point to the cat lounging nearby. “She looks thirsty, and I want to make sure she knows where her water dish is.” 

Meanwhile, the yelling behind you continues. 

“They’re getting closer!” Gemma yells at you. “Do something!” 

Oh well. Nothing to lose but the game, right? It’s all about winning. Without warning, you grab the hem of your shirt and flash your covered tits at Harry. He freezes, mouth dropping open, which gives you just enough time to dart past him and grab the flag, holding it over your head. 

“WINNER!” You scream. Anne and Gemma squeal, and you meet them in the neutral ground as the three of you celebrate your victory with an enthusiastic hug. 

==========

Tesco. Your least favourite chore, especially on an evening when you simply want to cuddle up with your guy after a long day at work. In the car, your pout is apparent as you sit in the passenger seat with your arms crossed. 

“Don’t wanna shop,” you scowl. “Just wanna watch the ‘Succession’ finale with you.” 

“We don’t have any food,” Harry points out logically, making you want to punch him. So you do. “Ouch!” Pulling into the parking lot, Harry playfully pokes you. “How about a little competition?” 

Intrigued but not willing to give in just yet, you twist to him. He holds up the shopping list from the magnetic refrigerator pad, ripping it in half before handing one side to you. 

“First person back to the car with all of the items on the list wins.” 

Narrowing your eyes, you examine your list. “What if something is out of stock?” 

“You must replace it with a suitable substitute.” 

Mulling over the idea, you reach for the door handle. “Competition starts when we open the car doors or when we get to the store door?”

“Store,” he grins, and you both exit the car. 

Warily, you keep an eye on him to ensure he doesn’t run to the door to get there before you. Instead, he maintains that silly grin that doesn’t show his teeth, but keeps his dimple on display. At your feet jointly cross the threshold, you grab a basket and race to the dairy, picking up milk and butter at the top of your list. Recognizing that you’ve got to cross to the other side of the store for fish while most of Harry’s items are in the produce area, you smile at a teen girl with her friend as they look over the magazines. Passing them quickly, you mutter loudly enough for them to hear, “I cannot believe Harry Styles is in the produce section at my Tesco.” 

Giggling, you hear the girls gasp before their footsteps rapidly move in Harry’s direction. It’s not long before you’ve grabbed the last items on your list and raced to check out. A few minutes later when your dishevelled boyfriend approaches, he finds you leaning on the bumper. 

“WINNER!” You laugh, twirling in your victory, and he swats you on the arse as you get into the car. 

==========

“Come on, H,” Brad encourages, watching his client carefully, “one more wind sprint.” 

“Lighten up, mate,” Harry complains, having surpassed his usual workout time, his chest heaving with exertion. 

“Hmmm…” you pop your hip and put your finger on your chin, “I bet I can beat you this time around.” 

“Baby…” Harry starts, “No offence, but there’s no way you could keep up with me.” 

“Really? Put your money where your mouth is, pretty boy.” You glance at the trainer. “Will you start us?” 

“Absolutely,” Brad grins, and you’re confident he thinks you have zero chance. “Ready…”

You line up next to Harry, toes on the same line. 

“Steady…” Brad’s voice floats across to you.

“Did I tell you I bought new lingerie?” You whisper just as Brad shouts the final word, and you take off in a sprint, knowing Harry hasn’t even left the starting spot as his mind churns with thoughts of you in whatever you might have bought. 

At the finish line, you turn around just in time to spy him crossing the line behind you. 

“WINNER!” You jump up and down. “I beat you again, H! Sorry. Didn’t know I was dating such a loser.” 

Hands on his knees, Harry flashes his toothiest smile. “You sure you want to go there, love?”

In reply, you smile and walk away, shaking your hips more than usual. 

==========

Turning off the telly, Harry twists to face you in bed. “Up for a friendly battle?” He asks, and you don’t even hesitate. 

“Yes!” Bouncing to a seated position, you excitedly settle your legs underneath you. “What will it be? Chess? Scrabble? Cribbage?” 

“Oh, I was thinking of something a little more…interesting.” His eyebrow quirks as his dimple appears alongside his smirk. 

It never occurs to you that you’ll lose. After all, you’ve always found a way to beat him whatever the game. This will be no different. “Bring it!” You grin. 

“Okay. The rules are simple. We create challenges for each other. But they can only be challenges that can be done here in bed with what’s available within arms’ reach. First person who can’t complete the challenge loses.” 

Shit. You glance around the room where you had done a pretty damn good job of cleaning up earlier in the day. Nothing to be found. The nightstands include a glass of ice left over, some toys, lubricant, and little else. 

“Deal,” you declare. 

“Cool. I’ll give the first challenge. Ready?” 

Your body is already tingling in anticipation. What will he choose? There’s no doubt in your brain that it will be sexy as hell. Whatever it is. 

“Whistle with your fingers.” 

Hmmm…not at all sexy, but whatever. You can do that easily, and you prove it, sticking two fingers in your mouth and releasing a shrill whistle just like your father had taught you to do at footie games. 

Covering his ears, Harry nods. “Your turn.” 

“Fart with your armpit,” you challenge.

“Easy peasy,” he laughs, sliding his hand under his shirt and producing a pathetic slapping sound. 

“Lame!” you call. 

“Close enough.” 

Deciding to let it slide, you await his next challenge. 

“Take off your bra without taking off your shirt.” 

You scoff. “Really? That’s no challenge. I do that all the time.” Reaching behind your back, you release the bra hooks before reaching in each armhole and pulling out a strap. Within seconds, you feel your nipples brushing on the material of your shirt. Oh. Why does that feel so sexy suddenly when you’ve done it hundreds of times before, always feeling perfunctory? But you know it’s because Harry has watched the manoeuvre. 

Fuck. Be careful, you remind yourself. 

He tilts his head, indicating that it’s your turn to propose a challenge, and you try to think of something that will be deceptively sexy and still challenging. Your eyes roam the space, finally landing on the glass of ice. 

“Put a piece of ice into my mouth without touching the ice with your hands.” 

That damn eyebrow raises again, and he reaches for the glass. “My hands can touch the glass, right?” 

“Yes,” you agree, “Just not the ice itself.” 

“Easy,” he mocks, tipping a single piece of ice into his mouth. Leaning towards you, he kisses you, and you maintain a tight seal on your lips to prevent him from sliding the frozen water onto your tongue. This is where he’s going to lose, and then you’ll have your wicked way with him right here in the same bed where he’s lost the game. 

The sneak slides his hand under the hem of your shirt, wrapping his chilled hand around your breast which naturally causes you to gasp. Taking advantage, he slides his tongue inside and passes off the ice. 

Shit. He’s playing dirty. Bamboozling is your tactic! How dare he? 

But now the wheels are turning in your head. The cold from the ice juxtaposed with the heat of your mouth had created a zing in other parts of your body. How might that feel elsewhere? You keep the ice in your mouth, swirling it around. 

At your prompting, Harry scans you. “Strip without changing positions.” 

“How am I supposed to do that?” But as you ask the question aloud, you picture the best way in your mind. Removing your shirt is the easy part so you do that first, leaving your breasts unfettered. Still kneeling, you unbutton your shorts. Bouncing on the bed, you finagle the material, including your knickers, down your thighs and over your knees where it takes a few more bounces to get completely naked. Your inner workings are as wet as your knees are sore, and you’re slightly out of breath, but you’ve done it. You smile at him proudly, continuing to shift the ice around on your tongue, knowing that he’s just watched your breasts bounce as you performed the tricky act of undressing.

“Lie down and close your eyes.” 

Your challenge is simple, and he complies without question. Making short work of his zipper, you withdraw his cock from its hiding place, stroking it a few times before bending over him and applying your icy cold mouth to his most prized body part. 

“HOLY FUCK!” Harry cries. “FOUL! FOUL!” 

As your mouth slides on him, you notice that he’s enjoying the treatment despite his words of protest. Popping off him, you smile at where he’s looking at you. 

“Foul? Okay, I’ll stop. But when did you open your eyes?” 

“No fair! You didn’t say to keep them closed.” He looks decidedly unhappy, and you wonder if it’s because he thinks he lost or because your mouth is no longer enticing him.

Rolling your eyes, you respond, “Sorry I wasn’t specific. Won’t happen again.” 

Lying on his back still, Harry lifts his shirt. “Mhm. I think I’ve got the winning challenge. Nose on the butterfly and tongue on my belly button.” 

“Are you sure you want my tongue there? It’s still cold.” 

Harry slings his arm over his face. “Oh my god! You’re going to kill me!” 

“Probably one day,” you giggle. 

“Fine,” he acquiesces, “How about you ride me without lube?” 

“That’s your challenge?” Does he have any idea how wet you are? If you used lube now, you’d ricochet right off him and hurt your head in the process. 

As you prepare to straddle him by yanking his bottoms over his feet, he groans. 

“Who started this game?” He grumbles.

“I believe that was you.” 

“Stupid me. Okay. Here’s my final challenge. Ride me for five minutes and don’t come.” 

Tilting your head, you gaze at him from your perch astride his thighs. “I see,” you murmur. “So if I come first, you win.” 

“Exactly.” His eyes twinkle, and you process the challenge. 

You can do this. You’ll have to stop on occasion to control the build-up, but it’s possible. Biting your lip, you nod. 

“Deal. Siri, set a timer for 5 minutes.” 

The voice on your phone responds, “Five minutes. Counting down.” 

With that, you slide onto Harry, placing your hands on his ferns to get traction. Slowly, you raise yourself off his cock before taking your time inching back down, spreading your legs as wide as you can manage. 

Harry sucks in air through his teeth, which sets you wondering if he’ll come first. Will that make you the winner? Pleased at the thought that you could win that way, you renew your efforts, gliding up and down like you’re riding a – well, a Harry. Watching his face, you spy the lip bite that reveals he’s affected by the movement. Shifting your pace to be a little faster, you watch his hands clutch the duvet on either side of him. Hmmm… could you make him come first? 

It’s an academic question, and you tackle it like a scientist. If you adjust your pace, moving quickly and then slower, what effect does that have? Oh! Nice! If you rise to the tip of his cock and then slam back down onto him, does his jaw twitch? 

“Siri, how much time is left on the timer?” Harry inquires, clearly fighting his impending orgasm. 

“There is one minute and 42 seconds left on your five minute timer.” 

Whew. You’ve almost made – What? Wait. No!

Harry has grasped your hips, holding you still while he drives into you from below. It suddenly occurs to you that he’s been playing the game well all along. When his thumb shifts to your clit, you grit your teeth, determined to make it through the final minute. 

“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” you pant. 

“Exactly,” Harry replies just before he stops completely. 

Your insides are dripping and quivering, and you’re grateful that he’s stopped before the timer has gone off, but then he withdraws almost completely before slamming upwards into you. 

That’s your move! What the fuck?

He repeats the gesture, moving slowly and deliberately each time while his thumb continues to wreak havoc on your clit. Holy – 

Every muscle in your body clenches, starting from your vagina and moving outwards as your orgasm overtakes you. Your eyes roll back into your head, and as you tilt your chin to the heavens, you faintly hear the sound of Siri’s alarm ringing again and again. 

Just when the convulsions within you are starting to ease, Harry resumes his motions, and you’re back on a high within seconds, screaming his name just before you feel him shooting inside you, coating your walls. 

Collapsing on him, your sweaty chest pressed to his, you struggle to catch your breath just as Harry whispers, “Winner,” and you can hear his smile in the single word. 

Thank you for reading! Reblogs are love. 

[sumerianlanguage]

Silim! (I hope I wrote that correctly)

I am looking for an Akkadian name meaning: She who guards nomad herders

(I don't mind a Sumerian version either)

Silim! Unfortunately my Akkadian isn't strong enough to be able to translate this phrase in it, so I hope the Sumerian version will suffice.

The verb "to guard, protect" is ngal 𒅅, and "herder" or "shepherd" is sipad 𒉺𒇻. "Nomad" is the incredible word luedinninginningin 𒇽𒂔𒆸𒆸, which literally means "person who repeatedly circles the open country". For "nomad herders" we could swap out the lu ("person") element, making a new word sipadedinninginningin 𒉺𒇻𒂔𒆸𒆸.

To say "She guards nomad herders", we'd use the pronoun ane (which is gender-neutral, so could also mean "He guards nomad herders") to make the sentence Ane sipadedinninginningin enngalesh, which I believe would be written 𒀀𒉈 𒉺𒇻𒂔𒆸𒆸 𒂗𒅅𒌍 in cuneiform. You can nominalize the verb phrase as Ane sipadedinninginningin enngalesha... "She (that) guards nomad herders..." but it doesn't really work as a name, having to stand as the subject of a later verb ("She who guards nomad herders visits the city" or the like).

If you wanted something that fits as a noun, you could make a word like ennusipadedinninginningina 𒂗𒉡𒉺𒇻𒂔𒆸𒆸𒀀 "guard of nomad herders", using ennu 𒂗𒉡 "guard, watchperson". I hope one of these options works for you!

[aquadestinyswriting]

Apologeticum Debet

Summary: A reply from Selene to the letter Elowyn left her in Si Quis Mihi. It may or may not have actually been sent.

Words: 560

Warnings: None that I can think of

Note: Why, yes, I am plugging my friend's writing with this one. Please do go check it out. I got inspired when re-reading the work linked above

tags: @druidx, @sparrow-orion-writes, @ashirisu, @blind-the-winds, @philosophika, @the-down-upside-finch

Dearest Elowyn,

I know I’ve not been the easiest person to talk to this last year and a half. I regret to say that I allowed the stress of my job, and my fears, to get the better of me and I took it all out on you. That wasn’t fair. 

You are quite right, I did react out of both fear and love. Out of the mis-matched family those of us that were left created, you were one of the only two I had left that I could call as such. I had already lost everyone else (Edwin notwithstanding) and I could not bear the idea of losing you too. Especially to a plan that I, possibly mistakenly, believed had only succeeded due to sheer dumb luck.

I will admit that I was also deeply hurt at the fact that I was kept entirely out of the loop regarding said plan. While I may have initially wanted to go off half-cocked, I am not such a slave to my temper that I couldn’t be convinced to sit down and listen. I know my fits of temper are frightening to witness, but to know that it means that those around me feel I can’t be trusted to know of things that will initially upset me hurts far more than anything else in this world. 

Then again, here is the pot calling the kettle black. I ought to have more trust in you and your friends. I need to trust that you are more than capable of looking after yourself even in the face of greatest danger and that you will either come home safely, or you will turn to either myself or someone else equally qualified to help should anything go wrong. It does help to know that you have such capable friends, and that they seem to take great offence to your being harmed. As much as Snotgrut and his general social obliviousness annoys me, I am grateful to know that he has your back as much as Aurianna, Felix and the others. 

As for your replying to me as a watchperson rather than as family; I will admit that it did irk me that you didn’t seem to understand that I wasn’t looking for an oral report of the situation. However, given that we work together in a semi-official capacity most of the time at the moment, I acknowledge the fact that the professional and the personal have become inevitably intertwined in our interactions with one another. I can only hope that, once all of this is over, we can begin to untangle them. I’ve never really enjoyed having to interact with you, of all people, in such an official capacity and would much prefer to return to a more personable relationship.

For now, I can only apologise for my behaviour following the attack at the Plot Hook. I make no excuses for what I said and did, and can only promise that I will try to be better in future. I love you so much and I do not want to jeopardise our relationship for the sake of my own fears.

I hope we can have a chance to talk things out in person soon, and that we can get through a dinner or quiet drink without getting attacked in the middle of it. 

Love always,

Selene.

[dimity-lawn]

Detritus does not endorse everyday sexism (or tolerate transphobic comments) aimed his friend and fellow watchperson.

[lconoclasts]

woke iconoclasts

minASEXUAL

sambAROMANTIC

roBISEXUAL

royaLESBIAN

agent black

Mother (like cunt)

agent GAY

StarWORM (slang for penis)

silver watchPERSON

teeGAYan

[rhinozzryan]

What's your favorite or most interesting etymology???

i could do the basic etymologist orange but thats reaaallly complicated and also would get me into fights over the internet. i'll instead choose lord! it's a shortening of early forms of loaf and ward(en), and we know that because of an old english poetic form that survives in only one piece of literature!

English n. lord 'the head of a household, almost always male; a king, a ruler, a master' is found earlier as Middle English n. lord(e, lort(e, lhord(e, lourd(e, louerd(e, louered(e, lowerd(e, lowered(e, loverd(e, lovered(e, hlouerd(e, hlouered(e 'id.' and even earlier as Old English n. hlaford, hlabord, hlaferd, hlafurd, hlauurd 'id.', collapsed form of Old English n. hlafweard* 'id.' (hapax, attested in dat. sg. hlafwearde as a poetic form), a construction from Old English n. hlaf, hlæf, laf, læf 'bread; loaf' and Old English n. weard 'a watchperson, warden, guard'; the former reflects Proto-Anglo-Frisian n. *hlaif 'id.' (whence Old Frisian n. hlef 'id.'), from Proto-West Germanic n. *hlaib 'id.' (whence Old High German n. hleib, leib, leip 'id.'), from Proto-Germanic n. *hlaibaz 'id.' (whence Old West Norse n. hleifr 'id.', Old East Norse n. lever 'id.', Gothic n. hlaifs, hlaibs 'id.'), probably of substrate origin; the latter reflects Proto-Anglo-Frisian n. *wærd 'id.' (not in Frisian), from Proto-West Germanic n. *ward 'id.' (whence Old Saxon n. ward 'id.', Old High German n. wart 'id.'), from Proto-Germanic n. *wardaz 'id.' (whence Old West Norse n. varðr 'id.', Gothic n. wards* 'id.' (in daurawards 'door-guard, gatekeeper, porter')), from Proto-Indo-European n. *wortós 'id.', o-grade extension of Proto-Indo-European r. *wer- 'to watch, cover, keep guard over; to notice, see, be aware of' (whence, ultimately, English guard, warden, aware, revere, regard, and so on).

[harveyb-wabbit92]

{Lil’Subway bros: Ingo and Emmet bought a dilapidated factory at an auction for a buck, they hired their foreign exchange friend E-S/o to be the night watch, the next morning the twins return to find their factory is nothing but a pile of rubble.]

Ingo: E-S/o. You were supposed to be the night watchperson!

E-S/o: I vas watching. I saw zhe whole thing. First it started falling over, zhen it fell over.

Emmet: Wow. I wonder where all the Rattatas are going to go...

[they see the Rattatas run over to Winona's battle bar.]

Winona, when she sees the rodent hoard: All right, everybody tuck your pants into your socks!

[muffiln]

video game lore concept: all the watchperson enemies with an obvious cone of vision (flashlight beam, weird ominous red cone thing, etc) have that cone for union reasons because they kept getting prosecuted for missing things they physically could not have seen. and they have the cone so nobody can say 'it's clear they were ignoring the intruder!'. and you (an intruder) figure out this information because theres vision-cone-based safety regulations on a clipboard inside one of the rooms. and it is never touched on again after that but it's implied that all other game mechanics are real too

[the-rotunda]

Meet Scooter Algenon - yes, related to Sir Algenon, creator of the park itself! And though they haven’t inherited their uncle’s spirit of adventure, they care about Alton Towers just as much. Now serving as the watchperson of the Power of the Towers, Scooter’s made it their life mission to keep the magic of the park alive - hopefully without much fuss!

[beboped1]

Guards, Guards

This was one of my formative pieces of literature, so I've been excited to get to it. Still a great book, through and through, one of Pratchett's very best.

Guards, Guards

First Read: High School

Verdict then: Wow, I need to get my hands on every book this person has written. Vimes is the best.

Verdict now: Definitely my favorite so far, and I'd argue the best written so far also. While there are some cultural things that don't hold up in the current environment, this is still a shining example of Pratchett's ability to communicate with deep compassion the complexities humanity, all while producing genuinely inspired madness like L-space.

Before I dive in, a disclaimer:

In the modern US, a book about good cops will always play weird, due to the utter and complete failure of our police institutions across the nation. I read Guards, Guards a bit like Plato's Philosopher King - yeah, if every police leader was Vimes, then maybe ACAB wouldn't apply. But that simply isn't the case in reality in the US right now, and we really do need to tear the whole thing down and rebuild.

Ok, with that out of the way, y'all, Guards, Guards is so good. I was hoping this one would hold up, and it really delivered. What starts as a fairly straightforward parody of "outsider chosen one" type fantasy quick turns and morphs into something much stranger and more human. Pratchett's deep compassion and belief in the goodness of humanity here gets sharpened to a razors edge, directly challenging the reader to be a Vimes, not a member of the crowd.

At the center of it all is Vimes himself. We meet a non-functional alcoholic at the beginning, someone who has lost all hope and purpose in his life. But when an inciting incident in the form of the hyper-innocent idealist Carrot appears, he is pulled out of his myopia and drunkenness, and reminded of who he can choose to be. And by the end, Vimes is a man restored, someone who has found again his place in the world, who has carved out a place in this world which rejected him again and again.

But the journey to get there isn't straight and it isn't easy. One thing I'd forgotten is that Vimes goes back or tries to go back to the bottle several times over the course of the book. That struggle felt so real to me, where even when things were going well, still, he drank. The triumph at the end, the acceptance of Sybil's offer, the ultimate rejection of the drink, all of that feels so hard won.

Speaking of Sybil, oh man, such a great character. We get a lot less focus on her body than with previous female characters, and so much more focus on her as a person. Sybil is the first non-witch female character in the series who feels fully real to me - and whose story arc works. Even with the limitations created by sticking with Vimes' 3rd person limited perspective, everything about her makes sense. She's not a joke given some human traits - she's a real, fully human.

Ok, I'm rambling at this point. I really could just go on and on and on about this book, but I'll restrain myself to just one more paragraph on the characters - the "rank and file". Carrot, Nobby, Colon, and even the Librarian are just so phenomenally well sketched, given simple but clear core characterization, and then developed with such a light touch that you don't even realize how much you've fallen in love with them until the end.

Guards, Guards is so much more focused than any of the prior books in the series. The core theme is the power of self definition. Each and every core character - Vimes, Sybil, Carrot, Colon, Nobby, Librarian, Wonse, even Errol - goes on a journey in this book, a process of deciding who they truly want to be. Colon & Nobby decide that they don't just want to be the ones who run slow. Carrot finds his way to nuance, developing from an idealist who memorized the law book into a real community watchperson. The Librarian chooses to live up to what others expect of them. Vimes decides to stop forgetting, stop running into a bottle, and instead to fight for what he knows is right. Sybil decides to join the world, to look outside the safety of her dragons. Wonse becomes exactly who he chooses to be - someone ruled by the power they accumulate, rather than ruling with it. It's just so consistent, so beautifully sketched in so many ways. Even Errol and the Dragon exemplify this core of self definition. They are who they want to be, who they will fight to be.

The line-level writing continues to improve book on book, and he's got just some beautiful sentences in this one. The humor hits hard, not just non-sequitur or situation based, but really diving into character-centric humor. L-space is one of my favorite ideas ever. But the real jump up in craft over Wyrd Sisters and Pyramids here is the focus on the central thesis, and the way everything in the book exists in service to that central thesis.

I love this book. I will still suggest it as a starter to anyone who loves traditional fantasy. Revisiting it was just pure joy, through, and through.

[imightbeabuddhist]

I want this watch!

-The Convivial Copywriter

[thedeepweb]

fbi watchperson watching me google wonderbread shelf for the 2nd time this year

[aquadestinyswriting]

WIP Series- The Wizard's Tale

Genres- High Fantasy, drama,

Themes-  Power and corruption, vulnerability, fate and free will, relationships (both romantic and platonic), mental health, politics, betrayal of trust, grief, guilt, growth

Synopsis-  Selene Frigidwake is the Grand Magus of the city of Toreguarde, the jewel in the crown of the Drakemarie Empire. Considered one of the greatest wizards of her age, she has left the adventuring life far behind to play politics with a greedy and corrupt city council instead. Not exactly the life she had been hoping to lead after defeating the demonic armies ten years ago, but she's managed. Unfortunately, the failure of the Seal beneath the wizard's tower starts a chain of events that threaten everything she holds dear. Unable to act due to the Edict put in place by Toreguarde's City Council, she can only watch from the sidelines and hope that her guidance will be enough to allow those who now follow in her footsteps to succeed.

Main Characters

Selene Frigidwake: Grand Magus of Toregaurde and the one whose story we'll be following.

Thazaar Clayrmantle: Selene's Second and the one who takes over the duties of Grand Magus when Selene is out of the city or unable to perform her duties for any reason. A half elf with tanned skin and bright red hair, Thazaar is a kindly man, who takes care of the more mundane, day-to-day running of the wizard's tower

Thaddeus Darkmantle: Head of Academics and a dour and somewhat cynical man. As his title suggests, he takes care of the members of the wizard's tower who are responsible for teaching those who are interested in becoming apprentice wizards. He is also technically in charge of the Arcane Library, but rarely does anything in there because he is more than aware of Selene's background as a certified Arcane Librarian (and the fact that she'd rather take care of the place herself).

Dwena Diamonddust: Dwena is in charge of the tower's magical defences and security. Her Planeshifter abilities ensure that she can appear from seemingly nowhere whenever and wherever required. She also helped to design the interior of the tower, ensuring that, by using portals, everything that was required could easily fit into the available space. Dwena has also taken it upon herself to act as Selene's Personal Assistant, keeping an eye on the Grand Magus and making sure that she isn't taking on too much all at once (as she is prone to do at times).

Reginald Schreiber: Toreguarde's Chancellor from its inception until his untimely death. He is responsible for looking out for the financial interests of the city's nobles and trade guilds and does so with vim and vigour. Unfortunately, as with any career politician, Lord Schreiber is prone to being rather.... single-minded in his aspirations. Sincerely disliked by both Selene and General Strucker, he is not known for following the spirit of Toreguarde's laws unless it suits him, especially when it comes to the Edict banning the remaining Heroes of Toreguarde from acting in the city's defence without prior authorisation by both the full City Council and Lord Drakemar's vassal.

Edwin Goodwin: Originally the Abouna (or High Priest) of the Temple of Galana within Fangthane, he came to Toreguarde to minister the temple there instead when the dwarves of Fangthane declared an official Grudge against Toreguarde due to events outwith his control.

Minor Characters

Elowyn O'Toreguarde: Selene's 'niece', unofficially adopted as part of the Grand Magus' found family during the Demon Wars ten years prior. A Watchperson turned Paladin who has been sent off by 'Destiny' to save the world, following in the footsteps of both her mentor and Selene herself, despite the latter wishing it were otherwise. (Note: I know this is Dru's character, but I do have her permission to use Elowyn in my writing as it's a bit hard not to. Pre-established relationships between characters and all.)

Egrim Shiverstaff: The original Abouna of Toreguarde's Temple of Galana. An old adventuring partner of Selene's and one of the Heroes of Toreguarde who has a statue in the central plaza. He is a kind and gentle dwarf, who is more than happy to offer up a cup of something and a willing ear when Selene needs to let off some much-needed steam.

Tag list (dm for +/-): @druidx, @strosmkai-rum , @homesteadchronicles , @writeblrsupport

Stories

The Failing of the Seal (Multiple Chapters) Ao3

A Circle None Can Break (Multiple Chapters) Ao3

The Guardian's Dilemma Ao3

A Letter to You Ao3

Take My Hand Ao3

To Heal a Broken Soul (Multiple Chapters) Ao3

When Forever Comes (songfic)

The Wise Man is a Fool Ao3

Comedi Vivit Ao3

Apologeticum Debet

The Librarian's Lament Ao3

Where the Flowers Grow Ao3

[dimity-lawn]

Do you have any favorite bits of slang from that book that you noticed Pratchett using in discworld?

Unfortunately not any that I can think of off the top of my head. Sometimes I'll write "18th c" or "18th c slang" on a piece of scrap paper and use it as a bookmark to mark examples I come across, but I'm not very consistent about doing this...

I might make a list of terms upon rereading the series, but I'd probably miss terms.

While I can't think of favorites right now, I've included a few of the many examples that I think are neat, as well as a few that would be nice below, followed by their respective entries:

Something that catches my attention is when "foot pad" is used. It's not my favorite, but I find it somewhat amusing because it seems a rather mild term for what it is.

It's not a favorite term, but as I mentioned in another post, the man who runs/owns the livery stable and said that he always gave the customer what he wanted is named Hobson, and I like that Pratchett was able to make a character out of "Hobson's Choice".

In Going Postal, Vetinari mentions the "sisal twostep" and "hemp fandango", and while I'm not sure if those were real terms, there are certainly similar ones (such as "the Paddington Frisk"), and I think it's cool that Pratchett seems to have based it off of period terms (or perhaps used real term(s) that I'm not familiar with).

Honestly, I'm somewhat disappointed that the Nac Mac Feegle didn't (at least to my memory) call a cat a "Grimmalkin", and I'm really hoping that there's (even a minor) witch named Mrs. Evans...

I wonder how bad it would've been if someone tried to say "you are a thief and a murderer: you have killed a baboon and stolen his face" in the presence of the Librarian. Or the Librarian, a licensed thief, an assassin, a watchperson, and an Igor...

I think it would've been funny if Ankh-Morporkians referred to Vimes as something along the lines of "Old Smoaky", "Smoaky Vimes", or "Commander Smoaky", or if someone (perhaps Nobby?) referred to Cheery and Vimes as "Cheery and Peery".

For anyone wondering what this is about:

[becauseiloveyougiftshop]

Christmas Gift Ideas For Men

If you're still stuck for Christmas gift ideas, you can always try getting useful gifts. You could give them a personalized beer bottle cap frame, whiskey glasses, thin bar bracelets, or a cellphone docking station. These gifts are useful to your recipients, so they will surely appreciate them.

Personalized beer bottle cap frame

A personalized beer bottle cap frame is a unique gift that is functional and stylish. Personalized with meaningful text, it is a great housewarming gift or wedding gift that is inexpensive and personalized. There are many different styles to choose from, so there are many different ways to present this unique gift. Here are some options to help you choose the best one. Personalized beer bottle cap frames are available in many styles.

Personalized whiskey glasses

Personalized whiskey glasses make for wonderful gifts during the holidays. You can add a special message on them or a favorite phrase to personalize them. These gifts will make the recipient smile and will make them feel special. One great way to personalize these glasses is to print them with the recipient's first and last name.

Personalized whiskey glasses make for unique and thoughtful gifts for men. A man's name or a special message is engraved in the glass. The glasses are 13.5 oz and are 4.25" high. They are made to fit both strong and subtle tastes. In addition, these glasses can be matched with a whiskey decanter for a more customized gift.

Personalized thin bar bracelets

Personalized thin bar bracelets are a great way to commemorate special occasions and build memories with the ones you love. These wristbands can be customized with a favorite quote or name. You can also get a couple leather bracelet personalized with a secret message. The recipient will certainly be thrilled to receive a unique gift, one that is personalized especially for them.

Personalized thin bar bracelets are available in a variety of colors and designs. They can be engraved with up to 20 characters and can be worn as a bracelet or anklet bracelet. They are also ideal for women's gifts as they look beautiful alone or when worn in a stack of other bracelets.

Personalized cellphone docking station

A Personalized cellphone docking station is an excellent gift for a man this holiday season. The wooden stand is a perfect place to keep his gadgets and keep them organized. With the wood stand, he can easily access his cellphone and other gadgets, while keeping his wallet, keys, and watch within easy reach. This wooden station also has a delicate design that makes it a nice gift for a man.

Personalized watch

Personalized watch is a perfect gift for men. This men's watch is handmade from 100% natural wood and can be personalized with a special message on the back cover. You can also choose a signature style name necklace, made from sterling silver, yellow gold, or rose gold. Another great gift idea is a toiletry case, which offers a variety of compartments and waterproof lining. Personalized stationery also makes for a thoughtful gift.

Another great idea is a personalized pocket watch, which can have an image engraved on its dial. The recipient will appreciate this gift that reflects their personality. The picture can be of a family member or a special event. A pocket watch can also be a great addition to an existing collection.